Welcome to the sixth edition of theScore's 2023-24 Norris Trophy Rankings and the fifth in-season version. New rankings are published once a month throughout the campaign.These rankings focus on analytics and the all-around ability of defensemen rather than only points or reputation.Two entrants left off the last edition rejoin the mix this time around.xGF% = five-on-five expected goals for percentage5. Miro Heiskanen, StarsPrevious rank: N/A Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyGPGAATOIxGF%5673724:4159.98Heiskanen has been the NHL's best defensive defenseman this season. He leads all blue-liners in expected goals against per 60 minutes and defensive goals above replacement. The Finn isn't overly physical or imposing, but he uses an effortless skating stride to close gaps on opposing forwards quickly and help efficiently transition the puck the other way.His excellent defensive game has turned into offense lately, as he's registered 13 points in 15 games since the last edition of these rankings on Feb. 8. Being paired with another mobile blue-liner in Thomas Harley has helped Heiskanen elevate his game at both ends of the ice.Heiskanen missed 11 games earlier in the campaign. While that may take him out of the running for the top three on this list, his overall body of work still warrants down-ballot consideration.4. Noah Dobson, IslandersPrevious rank: 3rd Mike Stobe / National Hockey League / GettyGPGAATOIxGF%6485625:1650.29Dobson remains the Islanders' most important player, sitting only four points behind forward Mathew Barzal for the team lead. It's an abomination that Dobson didn't make the All-Star team.The Islanders have climbed back into a playoff spot on the heels of a 6-1-0 run over the last couple of weeks. Dobson's recent performances have been a major reason why, as he's tallied 12 points in 14 games with a 52.67 xGF% since the previous rankings.The only reason Dobson drops in these rankings is because the player ahead of him is on a scorching-hot tear.3. Roman Josi, PredatorsPrevious rank: N/A Steph Chambers / Getty Images Sport / GettyGPGAATOIxGF%67155024:3154.52Josi appeared on the November and December editions of these rankings but has been left off since. We could no longer deny him, though.The Predators captain has carried his team back into the postseason picture with a 12-2-2 run since the last edition of these rankings. Josi has racked up a team-high 20 points in that 16-game stretch.On the season, Josi has been a key driver of offense for a Predators team lacking depth. He sits just four points back of Filip Forsberg for the team lead. His underlying numbers have been stellar, too, as he ranks third among NHL defensemen in goals above replacement.Putting together this type of season at age 33 is mighty impressive and further cements Josi's case for the Hall of Fame.2. Cale Makar, AvalanchePrevious rank: 2nd Michael Martin / National Hockey League / GettyGPGAATOIxGF%62175624:5653.36Makar hasn't exactly had the best stretch of play, recording a relatively modest 13 points in 16 games since the last edition of these rankings - and that includes a four-point night. Even his underlying numbers have been more human-like, which isn't what we've come to expect from the 2022 Norris and Conn Smythe winner.But Makar's overall body of work still warrants his position as the Norris Trophy runner-up at this point of the season. He ranks second among NHL blue-liners in points, trailing No. 1 on our list by three despite skating in five fewer games. The 25-year-old remains one of the most dynamic players in the league - regardless of position.1. Quinn Hughes, CanucksPrevious rank: 1st Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyGPGAATOIxGF%67136324:4553.51Hughes hasn't had the most productive month, either. He's recorded 12 points in 17 games since our last rankings but has done enough to hold down his No. 1 spot.The Canucks stalwart leads all NHL blue-liners in points and goals above replacement - the latter of which he leads by a 3.3 margin. Vancouver has outscored the opposition by a miraculous 94-55 with Hughes on the ice at even strength this season.Hughes has always been a dangerous offensive threat, but the way he's rounded out his two-game this season - amid his first year as the captain of the NHL's most surprising team - is remarkable.(Analytics source: Evolving-Hockey)Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Vancouver Canucks defenseman Nikita Zadorov had some high praise for Colorado Avalanche superstar Nathan MacKinnon ahead of Wednesday's marquee matchup, calling his former teammate the best player in the world.Zadorov's comments came in response to a question about how MacKinnon compares to the league's two most recent Hart Trophy winners - Connor McDavid and Auston Matthews."If I were to build a team, I would build around (MacKinnon) over those other two guys," he said. "Because he's a winner. He won the Stanley Cup."MacKinnon helped Colorado win a championship in 2022, eliminating McDavid's Edmonton Oilers along the way in the Western Conference Final.The Avalanche star has built a strong case for his first Hart Trophy this season with a league-leading 113 points in 66 games entering Wednesday.McDavid's won three MVPs and five scoring titles since entering the NHL in 2015. He sits third with 103 points this season after a career-high 153-point output last year.Matthews leads all skaters with 54 goals this season and ranks 10th with 80 points, but he hasn't enjoyed the same level of playoff success as MacKinnon and McDavid.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Things got heated between Lucas Raymond and Ben Chiarot during the Detroit Red Wings' practice on Wednesday.The pair got into a scuffle and had to be separated. The young forward approached Chiarot a few moments later, and the two appeared to exchange words before preparing for the next drill.

The Toronto Maple Leafs signed forward Bobby McMann to a two-year contract with an average annual value of $1.35 million, the team announced Wednesday.McMann has 10 goals and 18 points in 40 games this season. After clearing waivers to begin the campaign, the 27-year-old has become a fixture in the Maple Leafs' lineup since mid-November.The Wainwright, Alberta, native has eight goals and 11 points in his last 14 games, highlighted by a hat trick against the St. Louis Blues on Feb. 13.McMann went undrafted out of the Alberta Junior Hockey League and played four seasons at Colgate University. He signed an AHL contract with the Toronto Marlies in 2020.The 6-foot-2 winger earned an NHL contract with Toronto in 2022 after scoring 24 goals and 35 points in 61 games, setting the Marlies' record for rookie goals.McMann was set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer. He cost $762,500 against the salary cap this season, less than the league minimum of $775,000.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find year-round coverage of betting news and insights for all sports by visiting our Betting section and subscribing to push notifications.Headlined by a marquee matchup between two of the best teams in the Western Conference, we have a fun four-game slate on the docket Wednesday night.Let's take a closer look at a couple of the best ways to attack it.Capitals (+250) @ Oilers (-290)The Capitals aren't a very good team. Their recent string of success largely came against bottom-tier opponents and inflated their perceived strength.Monday's game against the Jets - where we successfully backed Winnipeg to win inside 60 minutes - was the start of a much more difficult stretch for the Capitals. I expect they'll struggle mightily and dip out of the playoff race.Washington isn't a good defensive team, often putting too much responsibility on its goaltenders to keep the team afloat. The Capitals don't have the offense to outscore their problems, either, sitting 29th in goals per contest this season. That's why it's hardly surprising nine of their last 11 losses have come by two goals or more.I expect that'll be the case again Wednesday night. The Oilers own a 30-9-2 record since Dec. 1 and have controlled 56.97% of the expected goals share, putting them 0.02% back of the Panthers for the top spot.Edmonton dominates in terms of shots and chances almost every game, and that should be the case again versus Washington. Given the massive edge the Oilers have in top-tier talent, that should translate into a healthy margin of victory.Bet: Oilers -1.5 (-115)Avalanche (+105) @ Canucks (-125)This game has real potential to be a track meet. The Avalanche are an unstoppable force when they have Valeri Nichushkin and a full arsenal of weapons in the lineup.The Avs own a 28-11-3 record and have a power-play percentage of over 26% with Nichushkin healthy. Conversely, they're just 13-9-2 and own a 20.8% power-play percentage without Nichushkin.He recently returned for Colorado, which also bolstered its lineup significantly at the deadline. The Avs are as deep - and healthy - as they've been all season, and they draw a Canucks team missing its star goaltender.Casey DeSmith owns a .898 save percentage and has lost more games than he's won. Suffice it to say, he's going to have his hands full with this star-studded Avalanche team.The Canucks should score their share of goals as well. They rank third in the NHL in tallies per game and are especially lethal on home ice. Only the Avalanche, Oilers, Stars, and Lightning have scored more goals per game at home.Alexandar Georgiev is a competent goaltender, but he hasn't been great this season. He's certainly not immune to a tough night, especially against top competition. Georgiev has conceded four-plus goals in four of his past six starts against teams in playoff position.With an abundance of star power on the ice for both teams and an underwhelming goaltending matchup, this game should feature plenty of fireworks.Bet: Over 6.5 (-115)Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on X at @ToddCordell.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Welcome to the fifth in-season edition of theScore's 2023-24 Vezina Trophy rankings, a monthly look at the top goaltenders across the NHL.This month features a pair of newcomers, including one in the top three. Meanwhile, an injury to one of this season's top contenders might seal up the hardware for the netminder occupying the top spot for the third month in a row.GSAA = Goals saved above average

Find year-round coverage of betting news and insights for all sports by visiting our Betting section and subscribing to push notifications.There are only four games scheduled for Wednesday night, but there's still plenty of value on the board. Let's comb through it.Mark Scheifele: Over 0.5 assistsJets head coach Rick Bowness often puts Scheifele in favorable offensive situations on home ice, meaning he generally avoids top lines and pairings and doesn't face the most difficult matchups.Scheifele has assisted on at least one goal in 59% of his home games this season. That's a massive discrepancy from his 32% hit rate on the road, where he often sees the opposition's best two-way personnel.Although the Predators are a quality team, Scheifele is well-positioned to create another goal in this game.At even strength, he's centering Kyle Connor and Nikolaj Ehlers, two shot-first players who generate chances at extremely efficient rates. Scheifele will focus more on distributing than shooting at five-on-five, and it'll be the same on the power play.With newcomer Tyler Toffoli immediately stepping in on the man advantage, the Jets have another legitimate scoring threat on the first power-play outfit. Toffoli, Connor and Sean Monahan - who leads Winnipeg's top unit in chances since joining the team - are all scoring threats.Scheifele will be surrounded by volume shooters and quality finishers every time he hops over the boards. Expect him to take advantage.Odds: +125 (playable to +100)Evander Kane: Over 2.5 shotsKane is a monster at home, averaging 3.3 shots on 6.2 attempts per game. He's gone over his total at an impressive 67% clip and often clears his line, generating at least four shots on goal in five consecutive hits at home.He was recently taken off Leon Draisaitl's line and placed on the third unit alongside Adam Henrique. I don't think that's such a bad thing: Henrique's scoring comes from efficiency rather than volume. He's only recorded four shots through three games in Edmonton and often defers to his linemates. Kane should benefit from that.The matchup looks quite good as well. The Capitals are giving up a lot of shot volume right now, conceding more shot attempts per 60 minutes than all but five teams over their last 10 road contests. Their bottom lines have given up the most volume - and Kane should see a steady dose of them in this spot.Odds: -125 (playable to -140)Nathan MacKinnon: Under 4.5 shotsFading MacKinnon is always a scary proposition, but I see value in it on Wednesday night.MacKinnon is in a back-to-back against the Canucks. He hasn't fared well in these scenarios this season, averaging just three shots per game while failing to go over his total in all five tries. And Vancouver is a strong shot-suppression team, adding an extra challenge.Valeri Nichushkin's recent return is a factor as well. MacKinnon has gone over 4.5 shots just 37% of the time with Nichushkin in the lineup, a far cry from the 63% rate he's hit at without the power winger.Odds: -110 (playable to -130)Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on X at @ToddCordell.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Joe Pavelski is opting to take a glass-half-full approach after the Dallas Stars coughed up a three-goal lead in Tuesday's 4-3 loss to the Florida Panthers."For us ... this is a great reminder of what's ahead of us," Pavelski told reporters postgame. "We're going to be in this situation again against good teams in the playoffs (where) you're up by two, you're down by one, the game can't change. You've got to go out and win periods, create momentum, keep moving the game forward."We didn't do a good enough job, so we'll look at a few clips ... and take this as a lesson. This won't be a low point for us at all. We'll be looking to right it and be better next time."The Stars led 3-0 before the midway point of the middle frame and were dominant for the game's first 40 minutes, controlling around 70% of the expected goals at all strengths while holding a 16-2 edge in high-danger chances, according to Natural Stat Trick.Sam Reinhart got Florida on the board with a power-play tally before the second intermission, which wound up being the first of four unanswered goals for the Panthers. The Cardiac Cats scored three times in the game's final 10 minutes to secure the comeback victory, with Aleksander Barkov striking twice on the man advantage."I think there's a little bit of a natural reaction to sit on a lead a little bit, but you also know they're going to push," Stars coach Peter DeBoer said. (The Panthers) weren't great through the first 40 minutes. That's a proud team that knows how to win, and you knew they were going to push for the last 20 minutes."Even having said that, I didn't think we gave them a lot until we gave them the power plays."Florida went three-for-four on the man advantage against the league's eighth-best penalty-killing unit. The Stars entered Tuesday's action with an 81.7% success rate.Pavelski is confident Dallas' penalty killers will rebound from a tough outing."We've got a lot of trust in our PK," he said. "They've shown it all year. They'll bounce back. I got no worries there. They're a hard-working group, they're committed to it."Next up for the Stars is a date with the New Jersey Devils on Thursday.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Anaheim Ducks goaltender John Gibson earned a game misconduct during the third period of Tuesday's blowout against the Chicago Blackhawks after joining a scrum in an attempt to fight counterpart Petr Mrazek.Gibson skated the length of the ice following a tussle between Radko Gudas and MacKenzie Entwistle in which Mrazek had intervened.

The New Jersey Devils may not have landed a legitimate No. 1 goalie at the trade deadline, but that doesn't mean their pursuit of upgrading between the pipes is over.The club plans on re-engaging with the Calgary Flames about Jacob Markstrom and checking in with the Nashville Predators about the availability of Juuse Saros once the offseason arrives, reports The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun.The Flames and Devils reportedly discussed a trade for Markstrom ahead of the deadline. The goaltender, whose contract contains a no-movement clause, said he wasn't happy about how the Flames' front office handled his situation.Markstrom has two more years left on his contract with a $6-million cap hit. Calgary was in complete sell mode at the deadline, shipping out notable pending unrestricted free agents Elias Lindholm, Noah Hanifin, and Chris Tanev, among others.Markstrom is in the midst of a stellar campaign, posting a .910 save percentage in 41 contests. The 2022 Vezina Trophy runner-up ranks second in the league with 31.88 goals saved above expected, per Evolving-Hockey.The Predators, meanwhile, had no intention of trading Saros at the deadline while they were in a playoff spot. But the 28-year-old will be a free agent after next season, so Nashville could trade him if the two sides can't agree on an extension. The Predators also have Yaroslav Askarov, the top goalie prospect in hockey, coming through the system.Saros has finished in the top six in Vezina Trophy voting in each of the last three campaigns. He's had a bit of a down year but has still posted a solid .907 save percentage and stopped 7.03 goals above expected while appearing in a league-leading 52 games entering Tuesday.Poor goaltending has torpedoed New Jersey's season, as its team save percentage of .882 is the second-worst mark in the NHL.Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald shook up the crease at the deadline, acquiring Jake Allen from the Montreal Canadiens. He also traded Vitek Vanecek - who's under contract next year - to the San Jose Sharks for Kaapo Kahkonen. With Montreal retaining 50% of Allen's contract, which runs through next year, and Kahkonen set to become a UFA, the Devils could make a splash in net this summer.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Marquee trade deadline acquisition Jake Guentzel made his Carolina Hurricanes debut Tuesday against the New York Rangers.He skated on a line with Martin Necas and fellow deadline addition Evgeny Kuznetsov.Guentzel had been sidelined with an upper-body injury since Feb. 14.Carolina acquired Guentzel from the Pittsburgh Penguins on March 7 for forwards Michael Bunting, Vasily Ponomarev, Cruz Lucius, and Ville Koivunen, as well as conditional second and fifth-round picks.The 29-year-old, who has 22 goals and 52 points in 50 contests this season, has played all of his 503 career games with the Penguins.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Former NHLer Anson Carter and the Alpharetta Sports & Entertainment group formally requested the league commences the expansion process to bring a franchise to the Atlanta area on Tuesday."I have no doubt that the best league in the world will thrive in its return to Metro Atlanta," Carter said in a statement. "I have been in dialogue with NHL commissioner (Gary) Bettman since 2019 about an expansion team returning to the Fulton County Metro Atlanta market, knowing that franchise decisions are exclusively decided by the NHL Board of Governors."The NHL has left Atlanta twice. The Flames resided in Georgia from 1972-1980 before moving to Calgary, and the Thrashers played there from 1999-2011 before relocating to Winnipeg.Deputy commissioner Bill Daly noted in September that the Atlanta area is better equipped to house a NHL franchise now than it was before."I think times have changed pretty dramatically and the market demographics have changed pretty dramatically since the first time we went there and then again in 1999," Daly said.Bettman has stated repeatedly that expansion from 32 teams isn't a priority for the NHL, but Atlanta's request for a team is the second the league has received this season after Utah Jazz owner Ryan Smith expressed his interest in bringing a team to the state.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find year-round coverage of betting news and insights for all sports by visiting our Betting section and subscribing to push notifications.We had some fun last week with the betting market's evaluation of players this season. Now it's time to do our math homework, since we should figure out what a goal is worth to a team's theoretical chances of winning.Through March 10, an average of 6.12 goals have been scored per NHL game. As a result, if you were to practically set targets for your team as you sit down to watch them play, you'd pick two:

New York Rangers enforcer Matt Rempe received a four-game suspension for his high hit on New Jersey Devils defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler, the NHL's Department of Player Safety announced Tuesday.Rempe caught Siegenthaler with an elbow directly to the head Monday night and was handed a five-minute major and a game misconduct.

Find year-round coverage of betting news and insights for all sports by visiting our Betting section and subscribing to push notifications.Headlined by a massive divisional clash between the Metropolitan Division's top two teams, we have an exciting 10-game slate ahead of us on Tuesday night.Let's waste no time getting to the best bets.Rangers (+145) @ Hurricanes (-170)Fading the Rangers didn't go as planned on Monday night, but I see value in going right back to the well.New York has controlled just 40.37% of the expected goals share at five-on-five over the last 10 games - one of the worst marks in the NHL. Carolina is at the opposite end of the spectrum, owning a league-best 61.26% of the xG share over the same period.Meanwhile, newcomer Jake Guentzel is expected to debut alongside Evgeny Kuznetsov and Martin Necas on what looks like a lethal offensive line for the Hurricanes. They appear more equipped than ever to convert all their opportunities into goals.And there should be plenty of them. Only the Sharks have conceded expected goals at a higher clip than the Rangers over the last three weeks. New York is also in a back-to-back situation and playing without captain Jacob Trouba.This is a massive game for the Hurricanes in their pursuit of the Metro Division title. With a fully loaded roster and the advantage of rest, I expect them to take care of business within 60 minutes.Bet: Hurricanes in regulation (-110)Sharks (+270) @ Flyers (-320)The Sharks are an unmitigated disaster. They've won just once over the past 10 games and own unbelievably bad defensive metrics in that time.San Jose has given up more scoring chances per minute than every team in the league. Given the team's poor goaltending, it should come as no surprise that those chances have translated into a boatload of goals against. The Sharks have given up 4.55 tallies per game while scoring only 2.5 over the last 10 contests.Despite their recent downturn, the Flyers have played pretty consistently this season. Their five-on-five process is good, and career years from players like Travis Konecny and Joel Farabee have led to a surprisingly respectable offense.Much like the Jets, who we successfully backed on Monday night, the Flyers will likely have a burr in their saddle after a disastrous effort last time out. They'll also use head coach John Tortorella's suspension as motivation to put their best foot forward.The Flyers are at home, they're desperate for points, and they're taking on a horrendous defensive team that has just six wins through 31 road games.Look for Philadelphia to flex its muscles en route to a multi-goal victory over the league's worst team.Bet: Flyers -1.5 (-120)Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on X at @ToddCordell.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find year-round coverage of betting news and insights for all sports by visiting our Betting section and subscribing to push notifications.We started the week on a strong note with our player props. Two of three overs came through, with a dud of a performance from Jack Hughes preventing us from a perfect 3-0 card.We'll set our sights on a sweep with three more plays for a busy Tuesday night in the NHL.Shane Pinto: Over 2.5 shotsPinto remains one of the lone bright spots on a Senators team that can't seem to get out of its own way. He's put up nine points over his last nine games while shooting the lights out.He's also averaged 3.8 shots in that span while going over his total on eight separate occasions.With a steady dose of ice time on the first line and top power-play unit, he's being put in ideal situations to generate offense - and is making the most of it.I don't see Pinto slowing down against the Penguins. They look dejected without Jake Guentzel and are playing some of their worst hockey of the season.Pittsburgh plays loose defense and concedes a ton of shots. Penguins games have been extremely high-event of late, which should create the perfect environment for Pinto to stay hot.Odds: -140 (playable to -155)Travis Konecny: Over 3.5 shotsKonecny has extreme splits. He's averaged 3.8 shots per game in Philadelphia and has gone over his total at a 57% clip. Those numbers are the opposite of what Konecny's accomplished on the road, where he's posted a 26% hit rate while generating an average of only 2.7 shots.The forward is back at home on Tuesday night in a fantastic matchup. The Sharks struggle at even strength, take plenty of penalties, and rank dead last in shot suppression this season.The Flyers, meanwhile, are in the thick of a heated playoff race and need all the points they can get. They'll lean heavily on Konecny and their big guns in this game - especially coming off one of their worst performances of the campaign.Expect the Flyers to dominate in the shot department - and Konecny to be extremely involved.Odds: +110 (playable to -125)Michael Bunting: Over 2.5 shots It's early, but it sure looks like Bunting will see a lot more opportunity with the Penguins. He's skating on the top line with Sidney Crosby, getting reps on the first power-play unit and being given all the ice time he can handle.He's logged over 18 minutes in both his appearances with the Penguins, recording a combined seven shots on goal and going over the total each time out.Bunting has consistently found shooting success when given meaningful minutes. He's registered at least three shots in eight of the 10 games he's played 18 minutes or more.He's spending a lot of time alongside one of the best passers in the sport, so it's no coincidence Bunting's taken plenty of shots in his first couple of games with Pittsburgh.There's no reason to expect that to change in a game against a bad Senators team that struggles defensively.Odds: +125 (playable to +100)Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on X at @ToddCordell.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NHL announced the schedule for the 2024 Global Series on Tuesday.The Buffalo Sabres and New Jersey Devils will open the 2024-25 regular season on Oct. 4 and 5 in Prague, Czechia at The O2 Arena. The following month, the Dallas Stars and Florida Panthers will clash in Tampere, Finland at Nokia Arena on Nov. 1 and 2.Additionally, the Sabres will play an exhibition contest against Red Bull Munich on Sept. 27, which will serve as the grand opening game for Munich's SAP Garden.Dallas has never played an international game. New Jersey traveled to Gothenburg, Sweden in 2018, while Buffalo and Florida have each played international games twice. The Sabres last featured in Stockholm, Sweden in 2019 and the Panthers starred in Helsinki, Finland in 2018.The Devils roster Czechia natives Ondrej Palat and Tomas Nosek, though the latter is a pending unrestricted free agent. Simon Nemec, the 2022 second-overall pick, is from neighboring Slovakia.Lukas Rousek is Buffalo's lone Czech player, but the team has top prospect Jiri Kulich, who could crack the Sabres' lineup by next season.The NHL has played seven games in Czechia, all held at The O2 Arena.The matchup in Tampere features significantly more local talent. The Stars' roster boasts four Finns: Roope Hintz, Miro Heiskanen, Esa Lindell, and Jani Hakanpaa. Only Hakanpaa isn't signed for next season.Florida features another four Finnish products in Aleksander Barkov, Anton Lundell, Eetu Luostarinen, and Niko Mikkola, all of whom are under team control through the 2024-25 campaign.This will mark the second time the NHL has gone to Tampere, the hometown of both Barkov and Hintz. The league has played nine total games in Finland.The exhibition contest in Munich will see JJ Peterka return to his hometown. The 22-year-old suited up for Red Bull Munich from 2019-21 and developed in the nearby RB Hockey Academy before making the big club.The 2023 NHL Global Series saw the Los Angeles Kings and Arizona Coyotes play preseason games in Melbourne, Australia. The Detroit Red Wings, Minnesota Wild, Ottawa Senators, and Toronto Maple Leafs featured in Stockholm, Sweden during the regular season.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Calder Trophy race is just about at the finish line.Unsurprisingly, it's pretty much down to just two players, as has been the case for the last few months. Still, the rookie class has been impressive all season long.Let's take a look at which youngsters are in prime position to be named finalists for the hardware in April.5. Luke Hughes, Devils Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyGPGPATOI6583221:18While Hughes' case to be one of the three finalists has taken on water lately, his name will almost certainly be somewhere on the ballot, mostly thanks to his offensive ability and dynamic transitional play.He ranks first among all rookie defensemen in goals and power-play points (17), as well as second in both points and ice time. Hughes also tops the class with 33 takeaways. Understandably, his blue-line game could use a lot of work - he is a rookie, after all. The rearguard was arguably forced into a substantial defensive role too quickly thanks to Dougie Hamilton's long-term injury.Hughes isn't entirely drowning under his team-leading minutes, though. The Devils have controlled 55.6% of the shot attempts, 54.2% of the scoring chances, and 53.5% of the expected goals with him on the ice at five-on-five. While they've been outscored 47-36, it's important to note that goaltending has been New Jersey's biggest weakness this campaign.The 20-year-old found himself in an offensive funk in February, totaling just three assists in 12 games, but he's already got three helpers in six contests this month. All three have come on the man advantage, which is a welcome sign for the Devils. Their power play was abysmal last month, but they've converted on 21.1% of their chances so far this month.4. Marco Rossi, Wild Darcy Finley / National Hockey League / GettyGPGPATOI65173316:23Though Rossi's exploits in his first full NHL season have been largely overshadowed by his own teammate (more on him later), the center's accomplishments absolutely deserve to be spotlighted.Rossi is tied for second in goals among all rookies this season while ranking third in the points race. He's been strong at five-on-five, with 28 of his points and 15 of his goals coming at even strength. The Wild have also dictated play at five-on-five with the 22-year-old on the ice, controlling 52.2% of the shot attempts, 52.8% of the expected goals, and 54.9% of the high-danger chances while outscoring opponents 35-29.It's been relatively tough sledding for Rossi as of late, though. He's been held without a point in his past nine contests and is a minus-four over that stretch. It hasn't been through lack of trying, though, as Rossi has recorded 26 shots on net during his slump, good for the third most on the Wild. He's also generated around four individual expected goals - they're just not going in for Rossi right now.Rossi will have to bust his slump sooner rather than later if he wants to give himself the best chance at being named one of the three finalists for the Calder Trophy in a few weeks.3. Pyotr Kochetkov, Hurricanes Rich Graessle / National Hockey League / GettyGPSV%GAASO33 (17-11-3).9102.393Goaltending has been a bit of an adventure in Carolina this season, but it's starting to stabilize now, and Kochetkov is a major reason why.The 24-year-old was named the NHL's Rookie of the Month for February, and the honor was extremely well-deserved. Out of all goalies to appear in at least five games last month (not just rookies), Kochetkov ranked fourth with a .940 save percentage and third with a 1.71 goals against average while leading with two shutouts, including a 45-save effort against the league-leading Florida Panthers on Feb. 22.Kochetkov also owns the best goals against average among all rookie netminders to appear in at least 10 games this season, and he places fourth in the class in goals saved above average (3.69) at all strengths. That's no small feat given that he's faced the third most shots (810) and fifth most high-danger chances (205) among all first-year goalies. What's more, Kochetkov has surrendered two or fewer goals in 21 of his outings this campaign, which translates to approximately 64% of his appearances. Those are far from rookie numbers if you ask us.The Russian has been the Hurricanes' most-utilized goaltender this campaign and will be vital to his team down the stretch. Carolina will need him and a healthy Frederik Andersen in tip-top shape for the postseason.2. Brock Faber, Wild Nick Wosika / Getty Images Sport / GettyGPGPATOI6563725:10Man, if only some guy named Connor Bedard weren't around, Faber would be the slam-dunk favorite for the Calder Trophy.The rearguard has been a joy to watch in Minnesota. He's first among all rookies in assists, second in points, and third with 26 even-strength points. Faber scored the Wild's only goal in Friday's overtime loss to the Colorado Avalanche, and the tally was significant. He passed Marian Gaborik for the third most points by a rookie in franchise history, and he's only three points away from passing current teammate Matt Boldy (who, to be fair, only played in 47 contests during his first NHL season in 2021-22). Faber is still the league's busiest rookie by a four-minute margin, and he's blocked 129 shots - 30 clear of Anaheim Ducks youngster Jackson LaCombe in second place.It's highly unlikely the Wild would be in the position they're in to challenge for a playoff spot without the efforts of Faber. He ranks fifth on the team in goals above replacement (10.5), wins above replacement (1.7), and defensive goals above replacement (2.9). The 21-year-old had to step up in a major way when Jonas Brodin was out injured, and he's been key in helping Minnesota overcome the absence of captain Jared Spurgeon.Though Faber may not win the Calder Trophy, Wild fans should be more than happy to know that they'll have an absolute stud patrolling their blue line for years to come.1. Connor Bedard, Blackhawks Michael Reaves / Getty Images Sport / GettyGPGPATOI51194619:28In the last edition of these rankings, we said Bedard had to hit the ground running to re-stake his claim as the Calder Trophy front-runner after recovering from a fractured jaw. Well, what else can we say? He's done exactly that, fishbowl and all.Bedard racked up 13 points in the 12 games since his return, including four multi-point outings. The phenom even came back slightly ahead of schedule, which is pretty unfair for the first-year players hoping to pass him in the rookie scoring race: Faber was only able to tie Bedard with 33 points before the Blackhawks phenom could suit up again.The fact that Bedard missed 14 games and is still the favorite to win the hardware is a testament to how good he's been all season. The 2023 first overall pick is rocking a 0.90 point-per-game rate, which is the highest clip by a rookie to play in at least 20 games since Kirill Kaprizov (0.93) took the league by storm in 2020-21. Bedard is also on pace for around 60 points on the season, and if he hits the milestone, it'd be the most by a rookie since Trevor Zegras (61 in 75 contests) and Michael Bunting (63 in 79 contests) in 2021-22. Bedard will have played in fewer games, too.The 18-year-old has done all this despite his most frequent linemates being, like, Nick Foligno and Philipp Kurashev. The kid's real good, man.Keep an eye on:

Ottawa Senators blue-liner Jakob Chychrun survived the deadline without being moved but knows his name will continue to serve as potential trade bait going forward."The trade deadline is over, but people are already talking about the summer. It's not like the chatter is going anywhere," Chychrun told The Athletic's Ian Mendes. "It's the reality of the situation with my contract with having one year left. We'll see what happens with my situation moving forward."In January, Chychrun called trade rumors "ridiculous," but they persisted leading up to the deadline as the Senators fell further out of the playoff race."I really don't know what else I can do. I can only focus on the things I can control. And that's easier said than done sometimes," he said. "That's something as a professional that I'm going to deal with and try to not let it affect me."Chychrun was dealt to the Senators from the Arizona Coyotes before the 2023 deadline after more than a year of speculation on his future. His arrival was supposed to help a rebuilding Ottawa squad become a playoff contender, but the club sits 28th in the league standings. The soon-to-be 26-year-old said some team success could've erased uncertainty about his future with the organization."What's disappointing is not the (trade) talks," he said. "It's the way the season has gone for us as a group. If things were different, none of this would be going on. That's the most frustrating thing for me. We all had such high hopes for this group, and we haven't lived up to those expectations. That's the toughest pill to swallow."Chychrun's notched 36 points in 74 games since joining the Senators. He's under contract through 2025 at a $4.6-million cap hit and has a 10-team no-trade clause, according to CapFriendly.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Noah Hanifin refuted the narrative that he limited the Calgary Flames' trade options to places he'd consider signing long term as a pending free agent."I was never holding the Flames hostage," the defenseman said, according to Sportsnet's Eric Francis. "That was one of the more difficult things to hear towards the end because I personally felt I was never doing that. Talking to (Flames general manager Craig Conroy), I don't think either side felt that.""I only had an eight-team no-trade clause, so I was never going to be able to say no," he added. "I felt I should give Calgary a list of teams I would sign with, and then it got out there I was holding the team hostage and would only sign with one team. I wasn't ever going to sign an extension just anywhere in the league. I don't think any player in the NHL would do that."Daily Faceoff's Frank Seravalli suggested in late February that Hanifin's camp was using his leverage as an upcoming UFA to influence where he'd land. The Flames ended up trading Hanifin to the Vegas Golden Knights last Wednesday in exchange for a first-round pick and a conditional third-rounder in 2025, as well as prospect Daniil Miromanov.Hanifin conceded that he would've preferred a return to the East Coast, but the Boston native knew that'd further shrink the options that would work for both him and the Flames."It was positioned almost like I was doing it to spite Calgary, to hurt them," he said. "That was never the case. I was being honest with them."Calgary was going to do what was best for them, and I wanted to do what worked best for me and my family, and if that wasn't a fit, that's business."Hanifin revealed that the Flames tried to sign him again one week before the trade and called his choice to leave Calgary "a family decision."The 27-year-old has played two games with the Golden Knights, logging two assists while averaging 21 minutes of ice time. Hanifin will return to Calgary when Vegas takes on the Flames on Thursday.He's not expecting an entirely warm reception from those in attendance."I'm sure there are certain people who were upset reading that I was screwing over the team," Hanifin said. "I never felt I was, or that it was real, but some of them may boo, like they have for other players who left town. But there are lots of others who I had relationships with who will support me."Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Vegas Golden Knights general manager Kelly McCrimmon has dismissed criticism that he's exploited the NHL's long-term injured reserve system to bolster his team heading into the playoffs."Google 'lacerated spleen' and see if you can tell when a player is going to be back," he told "The Jeff Marek Show," referring to the ailment that's sidelined captain Mark Stone since late February. "It's ridiculous to suggest that these weren't significant injuries or aren't significant injuries."Furthermore, the National Hockey League polices all of this. The rules are the rules, the NHL watches this very carefully."Stone has been ruled out for the remainder of the regular season. With the veteran forward and his $9.5-million cap hit on LTIR, Vegas was able to make the biggest splash at this year's deadline by picking up Anthony Mantha, Noah Hanifin, and Tomas Hertl.However, Stone's postseason status is uncertain. The Golden Knights could activate him without issue since the salary cap doesn't apply in the playoffs.The situation is similar to what happened last campaign. Vegas made some big deadline acquisitions after Stone's regular season ended in January due to a back injury, although he went on to appear in all of the Golden Knights' postseason games."Last year ... we acquired Ivan Barbashev, Jonathan Quick, and Teddy Blueger (at the deadline)," McCrimmon said. "I would suggest to you we probably could have acquired all three players without Mark Stone's LTIR. This year, it happened that there were opportunities available to use that space, so that's what we did."The flip side is to have $9.5 million of LTIR space as a general manager and sit on your hands, and I don't think that's doing our job the way that we should."McCrimmon maintains that his organization hasn't done anything outside of what's allowed in the collective bargaining agreement."LTIR is collectively bargained between the Players' Association and the NHL," he said. "The idea behind it is, if you have a player suffer a significant injury, you can replace that player. Obviously from there, it's the timing of injuries."The reigning Stanley Cup champions currently occupy the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference with a 34-23-7 record. They've lost nine out of their last 12 games.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find year-round coverage of betting news and insights for all sports by visiting our Betting section and subscribing to push notifications.Headlined by another edition of the Hudson River rivalry, we have a fun four-game slate ahead of us to begin the week.Let's take a closer look at a couple of sides worth backing.Devils (+120) @ Rangers (-140)The Devils have dropped plenty of games lately, but the process has been strong. They have routinely generated more shots and chances than their opponents only to be sunk by awful goaltending.That shouldn't be as much of a problem moving forward with veterans Jake Allen and Kaapo Kahkonen replacing youngsters Nico Daws and Akira Schmid. The newcomers aren't world-beaters but are certainly more experienced and reliable than what the Devils were putting out each night.I think this is a good spot to buy low on the Devils. Timo Meier's re-emergence has raised the team's offensive ceiling, and the Rangers are vulnerable defensively right now.The Rangers rank 32nd in shot suppression over the last 10 games. They also rank 30th in expected goals allowed, meaning this isn't a case of allowing quantity but keeping it to the outside; the quality looks have been there.The Devils rank second in expected goals generation over the same period. Teams are having a difficult time preventing chances against them, and life will only be harder for the Rangers with Norris-winning defenseman Adam Fox and captain Jacob Trouba set to miss this game.New York is also expected to start Jonathan Quick, who has cooled down of late, to preserve Igor Shesterkin for a big divisional clash against the Hurricanes.Add it all up and there's real value in backing the Devils as healthy road underdogs.Bet: Devils (+120)Capitals (+175) @ Jets (-210)The Jets have been excellent at responding to defeat. Since the beginning of December, there's only one stretch - a five-game skid at the end of January - where the Jets have lost multiple games consecutively.There were eight other instances in that span where the Jets dropped a game and responded immediately with a win. Each win came within 60 minutes.Winnipeg is coming off what head coach Rick Bowness called its worst game of his tenure. His veteran-laden team seems to respond every time Bowness pushes its buttons, and he's undoubtedly looking for that to happen again versus Washington.The expectation is that deadline acquisitions Tyler Toffoli and Colin Miller will be available. Those two players should not only improve the squad's quality but breathe some life and excitement into the lineup.The Jets will be a difficult team for the Capitals to compete with. The Caps have enjoyed plenty of success of late, but their last four wins have come against the Blackhawks, Penguins (no Jake Guentzel or Bryan Rust), Flyers (Samuel Ersson conceded five on 21 shots), and Senators (seven-game losing streak).I don't think they're as good as they have looked of late. They've just taken advantage of a very weak point in the schedule.Look for the well-balanced Jets to come out hungry after an ugly loss and take care of business within 60 minutes.Bet: Jets in regulation (-140)Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on X at @ToddCordell.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Vancouver Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko is out two-to-three weeks with a knee injury, TSN's Farhan Lalji reports.Demko made 12 saves Saturday against the Winnipeg Jets before exiting with 13 minutes remaining in the second period. It was his 49th start of the campaign, which ranks third league-wide.Head coach Rick Tocchet said postgame that the injury wasn't believed to be serious.Despite his abbreviated start Saturday, Demko was named the NHL's third star of the week after posting a .961 save percentage in three games.The 28-year-old currently has a career-best .917 save percentage, and he set a new career mark Saturday with his 34th win of the campaign.Vancouver backup Casey DeSmith has played only four games since the start of February. The 32-year-old has a .898 save percentage and an 8-4-5 record in 19 appearances.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

At the 2024 NHL trade deadline, the Golden Knights traded their top prospect, the Hurricanes used their pool of intriguing young talent to land the best player available, and several teams completed one-for-one swaps.Here's an intro to all 17 prospects dealt over the past week.David Edstrom, C, 19, Golden Knights SharksTeams don't often trade their top prospect at the deadline, but that's exactly what the Golden Knights did this year.Edstrom adds to the Sharks' growing core of Swedish prospects, joining William Eklund, Filip Bystedt, Mattias Havelid, and Magnus Chrona.A 6-foot-3 center with impressive results in the Swedish men's league, it's easy to see what the Sharks like in Edstrom.The 32nd overall pick in last summer's draft, Edstrom's tallied 19 points in 42 games with Frolunda. Most impressively, he leads the team in goal differential and has outscored the opposition 15-5 in his even-strength minutes.Edstrom's a two-way pivot who projects to play a top-nine role in the NHL. He'll need to show more offensive upside to become a top-six player and will have a chance to showcase that at the 2025 world juniors.Ville Koivunen, LW, 20, Hurricanes Penguins Andy Devlin / Getty Images Sport / GettyIt's understandable if you were underwhelmed by the package the Penguins received for Jake Guentzel. General manager Kyle Dubas opted for quantity over quality, welcoming four good - but not great - assets to Pittsburgh.Each piece has top-nine upside, with the best of the bunch being Koivunen.Koivunen's 55 points in 58 games are the most by an under-21 player in the Finnish league since Saku Koivu in 1995. Additionally, he leads his team with a 55.7 Corsi For rating.It's fair to have some reservations considering Koivunen didn't do much in his AHL stint at the end of last season and barely scored in two world juniors. That said, he's having a legitimately great season in Finland as a 20-year-old.As a highly intelligent, dual-threat winger, the Penguins likely hope Koivunen can help the NHL club sooner than later after his breakout campaign.Jack Thompson, RHD, 21, Lightning SharksIt was impressive work from GM Mike Greir to snag Thompson in the Anthony Duclair trade.Thompson is a 6-foot-1 right-shot defenseman who's been a captain in the OHL, featured on Team Canada's blue line at the world juniors, and has been productive in two AHL seasons.He ranks top five among AHL defenders with 17 power-play points this season after featuring on the Syracuse Crunch's top unit. Thompson's not afraid to let it fly, as his 250 shots on goal are top 10 among the same group since he turned pro in 2022-23.The San Jose Barracuda are already playing him on their top pairing with Shakir Mukhamadullin, a duo we could see with the Sharks before long.Right-shot blue-liners are always in demand, so getting a prospect with No. 4-5 upside is quality business from San Jose, especially considering the minuscule cost to acquire Duclair in the summer.Quick hitsJan Mysak, RW, 21, Canadiens Ducks Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyThe Czech forward struggled significantly in his first two AHL seasons, tallying just 11 points in 62 games. A hard forechecker, he has 13 goals in 48 contests this season and will look to build on that positive momentum in San Diego.Riley Damiani, C, 23, Stars FlamesAfter winning AHL Rookie of the Year in 2021 with 36 points in as many games, Damiani's production has slipped each season since. He gets a fresh start in Calgary, where there will be a much better chance to get into the NHL lineup.Artem Grushnikov, LHD, 20, Stars FlamesA very good skater and strong defender, Grushnikov adds a different element to Calgary's system. The significant lack of offense is a concern, but his intriguing defensive tools make him a better prospect than his numbers let on. The hope is he can become a top-four, shutdown defender - though he's more likely to top out as a No. 6 or depth option.Ty Smith, LHD, 23, Penguins HurricanesA member of the NHL's 2021 All-Rookie team, Smith has fallen off the past two seasons since being traded to the Penguins. He's been predictably productive in the AHL but hasn't shown much defensive growth. Smith will remain with the Penguins' affiliate through the end of the season, but a new start at Carolina's training camp in the fall can give him a needed boost to make it back to the NHL.Zakhar Bardakov, C, 23, Devils Avalanche SOPA Images / LightRocket / GettyA good defensive center playing on an elite KHL team in SKA St. Petersburg. He plays a physical game, and though he's unlikely to be anything more than an NHL fourth-liner, Bardakov is still a moderately interesting addition to a thin Avalanche prospect pool.Graham Sward, LHD, 20, Predators AvalancheThe 6-foot-3 defender is a hilarious plus-85 since being traded to the WHL's Winnipeg Ice (now Wenatchee Wild) last season. He's taken a big step offensively in his final year of junior hockey to lead WHL defenders in scoring. The Avalanche will need to sign him by June or he'll become a free agent.Emilio Pettersen, LW, 23, Flames StarsThe Norwegian has been a consistent AHL scorer since turning pro in 2020, but as an undersized winger who has yet to become a dominant offensive player at that level, he's unlikely to ever feature for Dallas.Dmitry Ovchinnikov, LW, 21, Maple Leafs WildA speedy winger who has struggled to find his groove in the professional ranks, Ovchinnikov will reportedly stay with the Toronto Marlies rather than join the Wild's affiliate. He'll likely return to Russia this summer and should remain on Minnesota's reserve list in case he ever breaks out in the KHL.Luke Toporowski, LW, 22, Bruins WildSigned as an undrafted free agent by the Bruins after an impressive AHL rookie season, Toporowski has taken a step back as a sophomore. He'll be fine organizational depth playing with the Iowa Wild, which is a cool story considering he was born in the state.Jacob Perreault, RW, 21, Ducks Canadiens Debora Robinson / National Hockey League / GettyThe son of former NHLer Yanic Perreault, Jacob's development was interrupted due to COVID. The first-rounder jumped to the AHL two seasons before he typically would as a result and was solid but has since hit a plateau. It's easy to wonder how his career would look if he had those two extra years in the juniors. An offensive project with a lethal shot, he's an upside swing by the Canadiens.Jeremy Hanzel, LHD, 21, Avalanche PredatorsA combined plus-96 rating across the WHL regular season and playoffs got Hanzel drafted last summer. Though his Seattle Thunderbirds aren't the juggernaut they were a season ago, the 6-foot-1 blue-liner has still done well to lead his team in scoring.Cruz Lucius, RW, 19, Hurricanes PenguinsAverage size and mediocre skating make Lucius' projection to the next level tricky. At the very least, he's shown that his skill and smarts make for a high-end player in the NCAA, with back-to-back point-per-game campaigns as Wisconsin's top scorer.Vasili Ponomaryov, C, 21, Hurricanes PenguinsThe Russian pivot can step into the Penguins' lineup sooner than later - after all, he's already got two points in two NHL contests. Ponomaryov's unrelenting motor and consistent scoring at the AHL level make him the most NHL-ready prospect in the Guentzel trade.Cade Webber, LHD, 23, Hurricanes Maple LeafsHe's 6-foot-7 and 216 pounds, so that's really all you need to know. Webber's a zero offensively, but he broke the NCAA record for blocks in a season, so Toronto believes in his defensive game. The Maple Leafs will need to sign him by Aug. 15 or he'll become an unrestricted free agent.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad will miss at least two weeks with a lower-body injury, head coach Paul Maurice announced Monday, according to team beat reporter Jameson Olive.The bench boss added that Ekblad will be considered day-to-day after that, with the team targeting a return date in late March or early April."We're going to wait until he's 100%," Maurice said.Ekblad got hurt in the first period of the Panthers' 5-1 victory over the Calgary Flames on Saturday. He collided with new teammate Vladimir Tarasenko at center ice and was later ruled out of the remainder of the contest.

Ottawa Senators forward Josh Norris is out for the season after undergoing shoulder surgery, head coach Jacques Martin confirmed Monday, according to TSN's Claire Hanna.Norris, 24, was injured on Feb. 27 against the Nashville Predators. He'd collected 16 goals and 30 points in 50 games.

Find year-round coverage of betting news and insights for all sports by visiting our Betting section and subscribing to push notifications.We only have four games on the schedule to begin the week, but several of the NHL's top snipers are set to hit the ice. Let's take a closer look at a few worth backing.David Pastrnak: Over 4.5 shotsPastrnak's shot outputs have fallen off of late, even on home ice. He's normally extremely efficient in Boston, but he's gone under his total in eight of the past 10 home games.I'm not worried. The volume remains strong, as Pastrnak is averaging 8.9 shot attempts per contest. That's not too far off his season average of 9.6.He's also faced a tough schedule. He's gone under the total in his straight home games, against the Kings, Stars, Golden Knights, Oilers, Leafs, and Penguins. All except the Pens are comfortably in a playoff spot, and several are very strong defensively. But Pastrnak has still been right there knocking on the door.Monday night's contest against the Blues is a fantastic bounce-back spot. St. Louis has allowed 33.17 shots per game over the last 10 appearances. That's one of the worst marks in the NHL.The Blues are giving up a lot at even strength and on the power play, where Pastrnak's shot is one of the league's most lethal. Look for him to get back on track against St. Louis.Odds: -110 (playable to -135)Pavel Buchnevich: Over 2.5 shotsBuchnevich is a rare breed in the NHL. His hit rate is much higher on the road than at home (62% versus 48%), and he always seems to have his best shooting performances against good teams.Take the past nine games as an example. Buchnevich combined to record just four shots in losses against the Wild, Devils, and Red Wings - three teams outside the postseason picture. On the other hand, he went over his total against teams in playoff positions like the Flyers, Oilers, Rangers, and Jets, often recording four shots or more.Over the Blues' last 10 outings, Buchnevich has led the team in shots on goal and scoring chances. In that same span, the Bruins have looked surprisingly vulnerable defensively, ranking 24th in shot suppression. Expect Buchnevich to take advantage.Odds: +107 (playable to -120)Jack Hughes: Over 4.5 shotsHughes is one of the most consistent volume shooters in the league. He's dominant with the puck and routinely plays 22 minutes a night, giving him a high shooting floor and ceiling each time out.There's plenty of reason to anticipate that Hughes' shot generation will be at its best in this one. He's expected to skate on a line with Jesper Bratt and Erik Haula. The former is the best playmaker on the roster, while Hughes' shot rates with Haula on his line are higher than any other player he's skated with.The Rangers, meanwhile, are struggling to limit shots. No team has given up more at five-on-five over the last 10 games.Hughes also seems to have New York's number: He's scored eight goals over his last seven regular season matchups versus the Rangers, and his shot volume has been out of this world. Hughes piled up at least seven shots on goal in five of the past six games against them.The Devils need every point they can get to keep their slim playoff hopes alive, so Hughes will undoubtedly get as much ice as he can handle in this one.Odds: +107 (playable to -125)Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on X at @ToddCordell.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

This is the 11th in-season edition of theScore's NHL Power Rankings for the 2023-24 campaign. Check back for updated rankings every other Monday.In this installment, with the trade deadline now in the books, we look at one player on each team who needs to step up down the stretch.1. Florida Panthers (44-17-4)Previous rank: 2Aaron Ekblad. The Panthers chose to address the forward group rather than the blue line at the deadline, so they'll need their defensemen to step up if they want to reach the Stanley Cup Final again. It begins with Ekblad, who's had a tough season battling injuries. He began the year on LTIR and exited Florida's last game.2. New York Rangers (41-18-4)Previous rank: 1Kaapo Kakko. Many Rangers fans are ready to cut ties with Kakko, but at just 23 years old, it's too early to completely write him off. If the 2019 No. 2 pick could find his confidence down the stretch, it would lengthen New York's lineup nicely.3. Vancouver Canucks (42-17-7)Previous rank: 3Elias Lindholm. It can't possibly feel good for Lindholm to hear the rumors that the Canucks were looking to trade him shortly after acquiring him in an attempt to land Jake Guentzel. However, there'd be no better way for Lindholm to prove his worth to Vancouver by shifting into beast mode ahead of the playoffs.4. Boston Bruins (38-13-15)Previous rank: 4Jake DeBrusk. In a contract year, there should be no shortage of motivation for DeBrusk. He's starting to produce more as of late, and if he's playing with an edge come playoff time, he can be extremely valuable.5. Dallas Stars (40-17-9) Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyPrevious rank: 5Jake Oettinger. The Stars have arguably the deepest forward group in the league and a stellar blue line - especially after the addition of Chris Tanev. But they'll only go as far as Oettinger takes them. If his playoff performance is anything like his play this season, then it won't be very far. He's rocking a .900 save percentage and a minus-2.97 goals above expected.6. Carolina Hurricanes (39-19-6)Previous rank: 7One goalie. Frederik Andersen, Pyotr Kochetkov, Spencer Martin, or even Antti Raanta - it doesn't matter who, but the Hurricanes need one of their many goaltenders to be "the guy" by the time the postseason rolls around following the team's addition of Guentzel.7. Colorado Avalanche (40-20-5)Previous rank: 9Gabriel Landeskog. Like, as in his recovery. The Avalanche will need their captain at 100% come playoff time to give them the best chance at being the last team standing in the Western Conference. The Knights loaded up, the Stars beefed up their defense, and the Oilers have those two freaks. A healthy Landeskog would give Colorado an extra edge.8. Winnipeg Jets (40-18-5)Previous rank: 6Cole Perfetti. The sophomore struggles have been real for Perfetti of late. He has just two assists in his past 21 games and has been relegated to the fourth line. The 22-year-old rediscovering his form heading into the playoffs would transform Winnipeg's depth up front.9. Edmonton Oilers (39-21-3)Previous rank: 10Darnell Nurse. The Oilers didn't address the blue line at the deadline, so they'll need the internal options to step up. The Ekholm-Bouchard pairing is money, but they need Nurse to be an anchor on the No. 2 pair. Nurse has fared better since being paired with Vincent Desharnais, which is a good sign.10. Toronto Maple Leafs (37-19-8) Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyPrevious rank: 8John Tavares. The Maple Leafs captain is producing at the lowest goal and point rate since his rookie season in 2009-10. He has fewer five-on-five points than Max Domi and rookie Matthew Knies. That's simply not good enough from the $11-million center.11. Nashville Predators (37-25-4)Previous rank: 16Cody Glass. The 2017 No. 6 pick was trending in the right direction last season after finally returning to health and was a solid secondary scorer. But this season has gone more like the rest of his career: inconsistent and injury-riddled.12. Los Angeles Kings (32-20-11)Previous rank: 15Pierre-Luc Dubois. The much-maligned forward's first season in L.A. has been lacking in Hollywood glamor: Dubois has mustered just 28 points in 63 games and is a team-worst minus-19. The Kings will need him to step up to make it out of the playoffs' opening round for the first time since 2014.13. Vegas Golden Knights (34-23-7)Previous rank: 14The goalies. Yeah, this is technically two players in Adin Hill and Logan Thompson, but Vegas has lost nine out of its last 12 games and lost ground in the playoff picture. Since the start of that skid on Feb. 12, Hill owns an .881 save percentage, while Thompson is at .882.14. Tampa Bay Lightning (34-25-6)Previous rank: 12Andrei Vasilevskiy. The talented goalie always has a lot on his plate, but he'll be even more vital to the Bolts down the stretch as they attempt to hang on to their playoff spot. Further complicating things is the absence of D-man Mikhail Sergachev, as GM Julien BriseBois was unable to find a suitable replacement. We hope you're well rested, Vasy.15. New York Islanders (29-20-14) Bruce Bennett / Getty Images Sport / GettyPrevious rank: 25Anders Lee. The captain isn't quite leading by example amid his least productive season since 2015-16. With a $7-million price tag, that won't cut it if the Islanders want to sneak into the playoffs.16. Philadelphia Flyers (33-24-8)Previous rank: 13The defense. The Flyers lost Sean Walker at the trade deadline, while the likes of Rasmus Ristolainen, Jamie Drysdale, and Nick Seeler are all hurt. Philadelphia will need to ask a lot of its rag-tag blue line heading into the postseason.17. Washington Capitals (30-23-9)Previous rank: 23Alex Ovechkin. Just keep scoring goals, Ovi. The franchise icon has 10 in his last 16 contests, including a six-game streak. Maintaining that level down the stretch is hugely important not only for his chase of Wayne Gretzky but also for the Capitals' pursuit of a wild-card spot.18. Seattle Kraken (28-24-11)Previous rank: 21Matty Beniers. The reigning Calder Trophy winner has taken a notable step back. On pace to score 21 fewer points than in his rookie season, the 21-year-old needs to regain his confidence.19. Detroit Red Wings (33-25-6)Previous rank: 11Alex Lyon. The magic is starting to wear off for Lyon, who owns an .880 save percentage in his last 12 games after rocking a .924 look in his first 20. Ville Husso ain't it, and James Reimer is a true backup at this stage of his career. For the Wings to get into the playoffs, Lyon needs to drag them there - as he did with the Panthers a year ago.20. Minnesota Wild (31-27-7) Rich Graessle / National Hockey League / GettyPrevious rank: 18Filip Gustavsson. The Swede had a breakout campaign last year with a whopping .931 save percentage. That's fallen all the way down to .894 in his second year in Minnesota. Top prospect Jesper Wallstedt is knocking on the door and will soon be challenging him for the starting role.21. Calgary Flames (31-28-5)Previous rank: 17Literally everyone. Maybe this is cheating, but if the Flames are going to ride their underdog narrative all the way into the playoffs, they'll need to do it by committee. They've lost Nikita Zadorov, Elias Lindholm, Chris Tanev, and Noah Hanifin, but they're still hanging around in the wild-card race.22. St. Louis Blues (32-29-3)Previous rank: 19Pavel Buchnevich. The Russian winger is having a good season, but he's also a strong candidate to get traded in the summer. A hot end to the campaign would boost his trade value and potentially net the Blues a greater return.23. New Jersey Devils (31-29-4)Previous rank: 20Jake Allen. The Devils' odds of making the playoffs are low, but they aren't zero. Hopes are largely going to rest on Allen's shoulders. No, he isn't Jacob Markstrom, but maybe the veteran Stanley Cup champ can provide some much-needed stability and calm in the crease.24. Buffalo Sabres (30-30-5)Previous rank: 26Rasmus Dahlin. The Sabres are without a captain after trading Kyle Okposo to the Panthers. Dahlin can continue building his case as the most logical successor to don the "C" by helping his team close out a disappointing campaign on a high note.25. Pittsburgh Penguins (28-27-8) Darcy Finley / National Hockey League / GettyPrevious rank: 24Mike Sullivan. No, not a player, but the seasoned head coach needs to find some way of getting through to every single Penguin not named Sidney Crosby. They look lost, and it'll be up to Sullivan to pull them out of this passionless funk.26. Montreal Canadiens (24-30-10)Previous rank: 29Juraj Slafkovsky. It's been a much better sophomore campaign from the 2022 No. 1 pick, but he still has plenty of room for growth. Continuous improvement from Slafkovsky is vital for Montreal's long-term outlook.27. Arizona Coyotes (26-34-5)Previous rank: 27Logan Cooley. The rookie had some flashy moments early, but overall his freshman campaign has been OK at best. Cooley heating up in the final few weeks would create excitement for the Coyotes amid a rough second half.28. Columbus Blue Jackets (22-32-10)Previous rank: 28Johnny Gaudreau. The 30-year-old is scoring at a career-low rate in another lost season in Columbus. Finishing the campaign strong and carrying positive momentum into the summer is important for the Blue Jackets star.29. Anaheim Ducks (23-38-3)Previous rank: 30Trevor Zegras. Between drawn-out contract negotiations, underwhelming play, injury woes, and trade rumors, it's been a messy season for the 22-year-old. He'll want to finish his tumultuous season on a positive note when he returns from a broken ankle.30. Ottawa Senators (25-33-4) Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyPrevious rank: 22Joonas Korpisalo. It's been an abysmal season for Korpisalo, who's sporting an .887 save percentage. That's not how anyone hoped the season would go after he inked a five-year, $20-million contract in the summer. Penciled in as one of Ottawa's goalies next season due to the contract, the Sens need Korpisalo to end the year on a high to give him some good mojo going into 2024-25.31. Chicago Blackhawks (17-43-5)Previous rank: 32Connor Bedard. The Blackhawks really don't have much else going on, so it'll be on the 2023 first overall pick and likely Calder Trophy winner to continue providing the entertainment in the Windy City down the stretch. Sorry, kid.32. San Jose Sharks (16-40-7)Previous rank: 31Literally no one. Keep losing! Maybe landing Macklin Celebrini with the first overall pick at the 2024 draft will help soften the blow of losing Tomas Hertl. Probably not, though. That guy seems like a gem.(Analytics sources: Evolving Hockey, Natural Stat Trick)Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Philadelphia Flyers head coach John Tortorella has been suspended two games for unprofessional conduct toward officials, the NHL announced Sunday.He also received a hefty $50,000 fine.Tortorella was ejected by referee Wes McCauley on Saturday against the Tampa Bay Lightning and continued to argue after being thrown out of the game. He eventually did leave the bench.

Minnesota Wild bench boss John Hynes pulled off one of the gutsiest moves by an NHL head coach, pulling his goalie in overtime Sunday against the Nashville Predators.The move worked: Matt Boldy blasted home the game-winner moments later.

Vancouver Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet doesn't believe whatever forced Thatcher Demko to exit Saturday's win over the Winnipeg Jets is much of a concern.Demko left the game with 13 minutes remaining in the second period, and was replaced by Casey DeSmith. The Canucks ruled Demko out for the remainder of the game during the final frame, but didn't specify the injury."I don't think it's serious," Tocchet said postgame, noting he hadn't spoken with team doctors yet, according to TSN's Farhan Lalji.The Canucks are off until Wednesday and only play two games this coming week, which Tocchet believes will benefit Demko."The schedule kind of sets up for that and we're confident in Casey," he said. "We're going to have to manage it. There's lots of time to get him some rest."Demko's start Saturday was his 50th of the season, one off the NHL lead. He's been one of the main contributors to Vancouver's success this season, and entered action against Winnipeg with a 34-13-2 record, a .917 save percentage, and five shutouts.The Canucks managed to beat the Jets 5-0 for their fourth win in a row.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Winnipeg Jets head coach Rick Bowness had harsh words following his team's 5-0 loss to the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday."Whatever my message was before the game was clearly wrong," Bowness said, according to Sportsnet. "So it starts with that, I guess. Listen, the bottom line is: That's the worst game we have played in my two years here, by far. Cause we didn't have one player play a good game, not one. So it starts there and it ends there, it's as simple as that."The Canucks jumped out to a 3-0 advantage before the end of the first period. Elias Pettersson made it 4-0 with a power-play marker less than five minutes into the middle frame."(The Canucks) played a great game, but it's the same team we came in here three weeks ago and played, so that's on us," Bowness said.The Jets beat Vancouver 4-2 on Feb. 17.Bowness added: "We had nobody going, it's that simple. Don't overanalyze anything other than that."Top defenseman Josh Morrissey finished the night a minus-four, his worst mark of the campaign. Vezina trophy candidate Connor Hellebuyck gave up five goals for the first time since Feb. 19 against the Calgary Flames.Neither of the Jets' trade deadline acquisitions, winger Tyler Toffoli and defenseman Colin Miller, were in the lineup.Winnipeg remains in a heated race for the Central Division title with the Dallas Stars and Colorado Avalanche, as well as for the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference with the Canucks.The Jets are four points behind the Stars and now trail Vancouver by six points. They have three games in hand on both teams.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

John Tortorella wasn't a happy camper.The Philadelphia Flyers bench boss was ejected by referee Wes McCauley in the first period of Saturday's clash against the Tampa Bay Lightning because of a particularly juicy tirade.Tortorella wasn't exactly rushing to leave the bench when he got the boot.

Linus Ullmark was well aware of rumors suggesting he was on the trade block over the past few weeks, and now that the deadline's passed, he's thrilled to still be a Boston Bruin."Oh, thank God, yes," Ullmark said following Saturday's win over the Pittsburgh Penguins, per The Athletic's Fluto Shinzawa. "It's tough. You try to act tough beforehand. You don't want to show anything. You don't want to show any emotion. It's kind of like in the playoff situation as well. But it is tough on players. This is the first time when I had to go through and actually being rumored about."I've always felt safe. But then once it actually starts picking up more and more and more, you hear those outside noises, it takes a toll on you. There's this emotional part of it. Then you start thinking about your family. Then there's all these questions that you just don't have any answers to. So yes, I'm very happy that it's over with. I'm very glad and happy to be here."Reports surfaced Friday that the Bruins had a trade in place to send Ullmark to the Los Angeles Kings, but the reigning Vezina Trophy winner nixed the move. After the deadline passed, Boston general manager Don Sweeney said he wasn't aggressively shopping Ullmark.Ullmark has posted inferior numbers to partner Jeremy Swayman this season and was considered possibly expendable with only one year left on his contract."This is the team that I want to be in," Ullmark said. "I'm very fortunate to be part of this group. Ever since Day 1, I've loved it here. I'm very happy with where I am right now."Ullmark entered Saturday with a .909 save percentage in 32 appearances and made 38 saves on 39 shots to lead Boston over Pittsburgh."He was our best player. Wasn't close," head coach Jim Montgomery said. "He was really good. Glad he's still a Bruin."Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

While the New Jersey Devils didn't find a permanent solution in goal like many fans hoped before Friday's trade deadline, general manager Tom Fitzgerald said the moves he made set the club up to strike in the offseason."I hope (our players) see that it's an opportunity for us to set ourselves up this summer to have the cap space for a position of need and, to be quite honest, be big-game hunting," Fitzgerald said, per NJ.com's Ryan Novozinsky.The Devils have been in the market for a No. 1 goalie and were linked to possibly landing Calgary Flames netminder Jacob Markstrom before trade negotiations stalled. Instead, Fitzgerald acquired Jake Allen from the Montreal Canadiens and swapped Vitek Vanecek for Kaapo Kahkonen.Allen is signed through next season at a retained $1.925-million cap hit, while Kahkonen is set to hit the open market this summer, giving the Devils more financial flexibility than they had with Vanecek signed through 2025."We're looking at a potential tandem that maybe could rate up there in the league if I was able to land one of these big fishes," Fitzgerald said, according to The Athletic's Peter Baugh. "(Trading Vanecek) allows us to be able to be in on anything next summer and have the flexibility with what we believe will be available in the offseason."With a lack of impact goaltenders available in free agency, the Devils will likely have to go the trade route to reinforce their crease. New Jersey is projected to have approximately $21.3 million in cap space this summer, according to CapFriendly, and currently has 14 players signed.Poor goaltending is the primary reason New Jersey is six points back of a playoff spot, as the club's .882 all-situations save percentage ranks 31st.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Pencils down.The 2024 NHL trade deadline is now behind us, so it's time to decide who won and who lost. We're factoring in moves made in the weeks leading up to Friday's 3 p.m. deadline.WinnersVegas Golden KnightsThe Golden Knights don't appear at all satisfied with one Stanley Cup. Vegas went all-in once again this deadline season, hauling in Anthony Mantha, Noah Hanifin, and Tomas Hertl over the past three days. General manager Kelly McCrimmon pulled off his coup without surrendering this year's first-round pick and remained comfortably cap compliant. Although many fans are sour about another year of LTIR gymnastics from the defending champions, they're not breaking any rules. And the buzz Vegas generated from its three blockbusters should be celebrated, not criticized.Mantha fits the Golden Knights' mantra of two-way responsibility from their forwards, and he can provide some scoring pop for a middle-of-the-pack offensive team. Getting him for two picks and having 50% of his salary retained would have been enough on its own to classify Vegas as winners. But of course, the team located in the entertainment capital of the world proceeded to go above and beyond. The Golden Knights, sorely lacking center depth, landed a star pivot from a division rival. Hertl has posted impressive metrics and traditional stats for a truly awful team in San Jose and should have no problem fitting in once he's healthy. McCrimmon also swindled two third-round picks from the Sharks in the biggest move of deadline day.Lastly, Hanifin gives Vegas a third star defenseman mixed in with Alex Pietrangelo and Shea Theodore. Vegas' blue line is its biggest strength, and it added another responsible, mobile, puck-mover in his prime. The new-look Golden Knights may be in a wild-card spot for now, but you can bet no one wants to pull them in the playoffs after their latest reinforcements.Colorado Avalanche and Buffalo Sabres Jeff Vinnick / National Hockey League / GettyThe Avalanche and Sabres pulled off by far the funnest deal of the deadline by swapping defenseman Bowen Byram for center Casey Mittelstadt. Pure hockey trades like this are a lost art in today's NHL, so executives Chris MacFarland and Kevyn Adams both deserve a stick tap for pulling it off. We love the trade for both sides, too: Colorado had a surplus of defensemen and needed a center, while Buffalo had a surplus of centers and needed to shake up its core. Mittelstadt might be the safer addition, but Byram, the 2019 No. 4 pick, comes with more upside.The Avalanche did more to further cement themselves as winners, though. They sent a first-round pick and Ryan Johansen (more on him later) to the Philadelphia Flyers for defenseman Sean Walker. Getting Johansen's contract off the books was key, but Walker - an exceptionally smooth skater playing the best hockey of his career - should fit like a glove in Colorado's up-tempo system.The Avalanche also added depth up front with Brandon Duhaime and Yakov Trenin, a pair of north-south wingers for the bottom six who will wreak havoc on the forecheck come playoff time.Winnipeg JetsThe Jets didn't spend lavishly this year but made some sensible acquisitions Friday in Tyler Toffoli and Colin Miller to supplement February's addition of Sean Monahan, who's managed eight goals in 13 games with Winnipeg so far. His production has made surrendering a first-round pick much more palatable, and the fact Kevin Cheveldayoff kept shopping despite already hitting a home run cemented the Jets' status as winners.Toffoli, who cost Winnipeg a third-round pick in 2024 and a second-rounder in 2025, is a shot-first winger that deepens the Jets' top six and should complement either Monahan or Mark Scheifele nicely on the right side. The arrival of the eight-time 20-goal-scorer pushes some less productive names down the lineup and gives Winnipeg another legitimate scoring option on the power play.Miller has posted sneakily effective underlying metrics this season in sheltered minutes and would be a strong depth option for a lot of teams. Cheveldayoff did a great job identifying Miller's availability, and paying a fourth-rounder for a puck-moving right-handed shot is virtually unheard of this time of year.Carolina Hurricanes Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyCarolina landed arguably the best player available in Jake Guentzel from the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Hurricanes only surrendered a trio of B-level prospects from their deep farm system, a second-round pick that becomes a first-rounder if the Canes make the Cup Final, and a fifth-round selection that Pittsburgh receives if Carolina wins the Cup. That's some tidy business by GM Don Waddell.Going after high-profile rentals isn't typically Carolina's M.O., but Waddell knew this was the time to strike. A lack of scoring punch has led to the Hurricanes' demise in each of their last few playoff exits, but Guentzel should help big time. He's a two-time 40-goal-scorer with 34 tallies in 58 career playoff games. His 22 goals in 50 contests this season are nothing to scoff at, either.The Hurricanes also made the bold move of bringing in Evgeny Kuznetsov from the Washington Capitals. We're much less optimistic about this deal considering Kuznetsov's steep decline and abysmal on-ice results in the last couple of years. It's also a questionable fit with head coach Rod Brind'Amour. But if there's a way to insulate Kuznetsov in a depth, offensive role, perhaps it could work.Florida Panthers and Kyle OkposoThe Panthers didn't have much to spend this deadline, but they made the most of it. They reeled in Vladimir Tarasenko from the Ottawa Senators for a pair of mid-round picks and Kyle Okposo from the Sabres for a conditional seventh-rounder and minor-leaguer. But their best - and most important - move wasn't a trade, but an eight-year, $46-million extension for core defenseman Gustav Forsling.Forsling, one of the league's most underrated players, is a stud on the back end. This deal is more than fair and should age quite nicely. Extending him was pivotal for Florida's long-term outlook.Tarasenko may be a liability defensively, but he still has some juice offensively with 17 goals on the season. He should be able to help the Cats in a depth role.While Okposo is a respected leader who should be able to chip in on the fourth line (he's reliable defensively and can still get in on the forecheck), this deal was a bigger win for the player himself. Even without factoring in hockey, going from Buffalo to Sunrise is a major lifestyle victory.But more importantly, the 17-year NHL veteran gets a chance to chase his first Stanley Cup ring with the league-leading Panthers after failing to qualify for the postseason during his entire eight-year tenure with the Sabres. His last playoff game was in 2016 with the New York Islanders.LosersBoston Bruins Bill Wippert / National Hockey League / GettyThe Bruins not adding a center was a curious decision. It's been Boston's most glaring need since Patrice Bergeron retired, but the club didn't pull the trigger on acquiring a pivot and instead brought in winger Patrick Maroon and defenseman Andrew Peeke to round out an underwhelming deadline.It's difficult to be too harsh on the Bruins considering last year's spending spree paid little dividends, and this season's group is currently second in the league standings. Still, why not at least try to add to a roster in a campaign that's exceeded expectations? Boston, like most teams, is up against the cap, but a handful of quality centers were available this winter. Monahan, Elias Lindholm, or Adam Henrique would've been nice fits in the middle six, but Don Sweeney missed out and failed to secure any backup plans. The Bruins' defense and star goaltending tandem could be strong enough to carry them deep into the playoffs, but Boston's center core is weak relative to its toughest Eastern Conference competition, even with Pavel Zacha and Charlie Coyle having productive years.Los Angeles KingsThe Western Conference playoffs are set to be an absolute gauntlet. All of the other contenders (Avalanche, Canucks, Golden Knights, Oilers, Jets, Stars) made notable acquisitions, but the Kings didn't make a single trade.Los Angeles' biggest need was in goal. GM Rob Blake reportedly almost landed reigning Vezina Trophy winner Linus Ullmark from the Boston Bruins but couldn't get the deal over the finish line. Ullmark's contract includes a 16-team no-trade list, so it's possible he nixed the deal.The Kings have one of the deepest groups of skaters in the NHL with four solid forward lines and three stellar defense pairs. But while Cam Talbot and David Rittich have played well enough between the pipes this season, it's a stretch to think that tandem can take the Kings to a Stanley Cup. With Anze Kopitar and Drew Doughty still effective in their twilight years, Blake should've been more aggressive in addressing his goaltending.Toronto Maple Leafs Mark Blinch / National Hockey League / GettyIf you're a fan of giant, tough defensemen, this section isn't for you. The Maple Leafs have been chasing a right-handed blue-liner all season and wound up with Ilya Lyubushkin and Joel Edmundson (who shoots left). Toronto gave up two third-rounders, a fifth, and a sixth to bring in a pair of hard-nosed rentals who the club hopes can provide some toughness in a daunting playoff bracket that's likely to include Boston and/or Florida. Adding experience and some level of reliability was necessary for Toronto amid an injury crisis on the back end, but the Leafs have been done in by a failure to move the puck against aggressive forechecks in past playoffs, and neither Edmundson nor Lyubushkin excels in this regard.The low acquisition prices of Hanifin, Miller, and Chris Tanev make the Leafs' additions extra baffling. Toronto, while low in draft capital, had the assets to land more effective defensemen based on the market. If physicality has been the missing ingredient for Toronto's playoff success all along, we'll take the heat for our take on the Leafs' deadline. But until proven otherwise, the club failed to adequately address its biggest need after months of waiting.Ryan JohansenTo be clear, we're not calling Johansen himself a "loser." A 13-year NHL veteran with an estimated $62 million in career earnings has clearly accomplished more than most people ever will. But his current situation in pro hockey, relatively speaking, can be classified as a loss.Johansen went from serving as a middle-six center on a Stanley Cup-contending Colorado Avalanche team to being traded as a cap dump to a Philadelphia Flyers club that, frankly, doesn't even want him. Philadelphia GM Daniel Briere said Johansen - who has a turbulent history with Flyers coach John Tortorella - isn't part of the team's plans. Johansen was placed on waivers and will be assigned to the AHL after Philly failed to flip him prior to the deadline.It's been a rapid fall from grace for the 31-year-old Johansen, who put up 63 points as recently as 2021-22.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

San Jose Sharks captain Logan Couture announced Friday that he won't be able to play again this season, according to team beat reporter Curtis Pashelka.Couture has been limited to just six games this campaign because of a groin injury.He missed the first 45 games of the campaign despite being given a week-to-week recovery timeline in September with the hope that he'd be ready for opening night Oct. 12. Couture put up one assist in his limited return to action and was labeled as week-to-week again in mid-February.The 34-year-old revealed in December that he initially feared his ailment would end his career. On Friday, Couture said he hopes he can return next campaign, although he's realistic about the possibility of a trade. He has three more seasons remaining on his deal with an $8-million cap hit. Couture's contract includes a modified no-trade clause that allows him to submit a list of three approved teams.The Sharks sent beloved forward Tomas Hertl to the Vegas Golden Knights on Friday. Couture and Hertl have been teammates for the last 11 seasons.Couture said he was informed of the possibility that Hertl would be moved."I kind of had a feeling of numbness driving to the rink," he said. "It just didn't feel real, but it happened."Couture ranks fifth all time in Sharks history in games played (933), third in goals (323), and fourth in points (701). San Jose selected him ninth overall in the 2007 NHL Draft.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The San Jose Sharks traded forward Tomas Hertl in a blockbuster deal to the Vegas Golden Knights, the teams announced on Friday.In exchange, the Sharks are receiving forward prospect David Edstrom and a 2025 first-round selection. San Jose is also sending a 2025 third-round pick and a 2027 third-round pick to Vegas.Reports initially said San Jose was receiving the pair of third-rounders.Hertl is in the second season of an eight-year contract with an $8.1375-million cap hit. The Sharks are retaining 17% of Hertl's salary, lowering his cap hit to $6.75 million.The powerful two-way center is a two-time 30-goal scorer and three-time 60-point producer. Hertl has 34 points in 48 games this season. His offensive underlying numbers have dipped from their usual marks, but his defensive metrics have been strong. Evolving-HockeyHertl had spent his entire 11-year career with the Sharks, who drafted him 17th overall in 2012. He ranks sixth on the franchise's all-time points list with 484 in 712 games. Hertl notably scored a double-overtime winner in Game 6 in the first round of the 2019 playoffs against the Golden Knights. The Sharks won in seven games despite trailing the series 3-1.The Czech center underwent knee surgery in February and was slated to miss several weeks but is expected to return before the postseason.Upon his return, it's easy to imagine Hertl slotting in as Vegas' second-line center behind Jack Eichel. That could bump William Karlsson to a third-line center role or allow the Swede to shift to the wing.Vegas' front office has been an aggressive buyer since entering the league in 2017, and this deadline may be the best example yet. In addition to Hertl, the Golden Knights acquired winger Anthony Mantha and defenseman Noah Hanifin as they look to repeat as Stanley Cup champions.Vegas drafted Edstrom 32nd overall in 2023. The rangy, 6-foot-2 center is a smooth skater who's registered 17 points in 42 games this season for Frolunda in Sweden's top professional league.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Despite rumors of a potential move that would have sent Linus Ullmark to the Los Angeles Kings, Boston Bruins general manager Don Sweeney said he "wasn't that aggressive" about trading the netminder, per the Boston Globe's Matt Porter."I really like the tandem we have now," he told reporters on Friday, including NBC Sports Boston. "I'm very happy that we've (stood) pat there. Rumors are rumors in terms of what happens in private conversations. You guys know me well enough. It's not coming from here in terms of what we're trying to explore, what other teams are asking about."If I had to rob from a real strength of this hockey club, that was something we may have had to do if it made our team ultimately better, and we didn't move in that direction. That's not an indictment on the two great goaltenders we have."ESPN's Kevin Weekes first reported that the Bruins had a deal in place to send Ullmark to an unnamed team at the deadline, but the netminder nixed it "based on geography." Daily Faceoff's Frank Seravalli later added that the trade would have been made with the Kings.Ullmark is signed for one more season after 2023-24 with a $5-million cap hit. His deal includes a 16-team no-trade list this campaign. Sweeney declined to answer whether Ullmark opted not to waive that protection."I acknowledge we've explored different situations," the executive said. "We had opportunities to move different players, but I'm not getting into the intricacies of what's in somebody's contract at this point in time."The reigning Vezina Trophy winner, Ullmark has put up a 16-7-7 record to go along with a .910 save percentage and 2.77 goals against average this season. His running mate, Jeremy Swayman, has put up better numbers with 21 wins, a .922 save percentage, and a 2.45 goals against average. Swayman, a pending restricted free agent, is arbitration-eligible and due a raise over his current $3.475-million cap hit.With several teams in need of a goalie - including the Carolina Hurricanes, Colorado Avalanche, and New Jersey Devils - Ullmark's name had been generating some interest in the lead-up to deadline day.Swayman made it clear on Thursday that he wanted his tandem partner to stay put."I mean, that guy is my brother for life," he said, per the Boston Globe's Conor Ryan. "He's a huge reason why we've had success every year. I have no doubt that there's not going to be any surprises, hopefully. I love that guy to death. ... Whatever happens, happens."We've dealt with it over the years. I mean, I don't even want to think about that."The Bruins have a team save percentage of .932 at five-on-five this season - good for second in the league, according to Natural Stat Trick.Boston currently sits in second place in the Atlantic Division with a 37-13-15 record. Largely hampered by cap constraints, the Bruins added veteran forward Pat Maroon and defenseman Andrew Peeke at the deadline.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New Jersey Devils are making another move in the crease.The club traded goalie Vitek Vanecek and a 2025 seventh-round pick to the San Jose Sharks in exchange for fellow netminder Kaapo Kahkonen, the team announced.The Devils acquired Jake Allen from the Montreal Canadiens earlier on Friday.Goaltending has torpedoed New Jersey's season: Its team save percentage of .883 is the second-worst in the league.Neither Vanecek nor Kahkonen had performed well this year. Here's a look at their stats (goals saved above expected courtesy of Evolving-Hockey):GoalieGPGAASV%GSAxVanecek323.18.890-10.67Kahkonen313.81.895-2.98Each goalie has performed well at times, though. Vanecek sported a .911 save percentage in 52 games as New Jersey's primary starter last season. Kahkonen owned a .912 save percentage in 36 games in 2021-22, splitting time between the Sharks and Minnesota Wild.Vanecek, 28, carries a $3.4-million cap hit through next season, while Kahkonen, 27, is a pending UFA with a $2.75-million cap hit.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Toronto Maple Leafs acquired depth forward Connor Dewar from the Minnesota Wild for a fourth-round pick in 2026 and forward prospect Dmitry Ovchinnikov, the teams announced.Dewar has spent the last two campaigns as Minnesota's fourth-line center and has chipped in 14 points in 57 games this season while averaging 11 minutes per contest.He was also a key contributor on the penalty kill - an area of need for the Maple Leafs, who rank 22nd through 63 games.Dewar, 24, carries an $800,000 cap hit and is an arbitration-eligible restricted free agent this summer.Ovchinnikov was a fifth-round draft pick of the Maple Leafs in 2020. He's split time between the KHL and AHL since being selected and has recorded 10 points in 20 games with the Toronto Marlies this season.Adding Dewar was Toronto's only move on deadline day. The Maple Leafs previously acquired Joel Edmundson and Ilya Lyubushkin within the last week to address their defensive depth before the playoffs.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New York Rangers are acquiring forward Jack Roslovic from the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for a conditional fourth-round selection in 2026, the teams announced.The pick becomes a third-rounder if the Rangers make the Stanley Cup Final and if Roslovic plays in 50% of the team's playoff games, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.A pending unrestricted free agent, Roslovic carries a cap hit of $4 million, but the Jackets are retaining 50% of his salary.The 27-year-old has chipped in with six goals and 23 points in 40 games this season.The Winnipeg Jets selected Roslovic 25th overall in the 2015 NHL Draft. They traded him to Columbus in January 2021 as part of the blockbuster Patrik Laine and Pierre-Luc Dubois swap.Roslovic can slot in at center or right wing. The Rangers are in need of another right-winger to replace the injured Blake Wheeler. New York also added Alex Wennberg on Wednesday to mitigate the loss of Filip Chytil, who's out for the season with a concussion.In 426 career NHL games, Roslovic has amassed 77 goals and 213 points.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Winnipeg Jets acquired defenseman Colin Miller from the New Jersey Devils for a 2026 fourth-round pick, the team announced Friday.Miller, 31, has four goals and eight points in 41 games this season. He carries a cap hit of $1.85 million and is set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer.He's played 15:55 per contest this campaign, his lowest total since 2016-17 with the Boston Bruins.Miller has played 40 career playoff games, accumulating four goals and 12 points. He made the Stanley Cup Final with the Vegas Golden Knights in 2018.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Vancouver Canucks opted against signing free-agent forward Phil Kessel before Friday's 3 p.m. deadline."I think Phil is a great person and a well-respected player with what he's done in the league, a three-time Stanley Cup winner," general manager Patrik Allvin said, per Canucks Army's David Quadrelli. "He wanted to come back and play. With LTIR, roster complications, and how we want to play, unfortunately, it wasn't a fit for us."Vancouver's AHL affiliate brought Kessel in to work out in mid-February, leading to speculation that the Canucks might add him for their playoff push. The 36-year-old went unsigned after becoming an unrestricted free agent last summer and is now ineligible to join a team for the remainder of the season.Kessel is on a record 1,064 regular-season games played streak but was a frequent scratch during Vegas' run to the Stanley Cup last spring. He registered 14 goals and 22 assists for the Golden Knights last season and is only eight points shy of 1,000 for his career.The first-place Canucks were inactive before Friday's trade deadline but did plenty of heavy lifting in the weeks prior, acquiring Elias Lindholm from the Calgary Flames and signing superstar Elias Pettersson to an eight-year contract extension.Vancouver had approximately $1.09 million to work with before the deadline, according to CapFriendly.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Calgary Flames acquired defenseman Nikita Okhotiuk from the San Jose Sharks for a conditional 2024 fifth-round pick, the teams announced Friday.San Jose will receive the better of the Blackhawks' two fifth-rounders.Okhotiuk, 23, has one goal and eight points in 43 games this season. He's played 16:27 per contest in his first campaign.He's in the final season of his entry-level contract and is set to become a restricted free agent this summer. The New Jersey Devils drafted him 61st overall in 2019.Okhotiuk landed with the Sharks at last year's trade deadline in the Timo Meier deal.He's the third Russian blue-liner the Flames have added in the past two weeks, as they also traded for Artem Grushnikov and Daniil Miromanov.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Quick-hit analysis of big-league moves completed Friday, March 8.Roslovic traded to RangersNew York acquires: F Jack Roslovic

The New Jersey Devils acquired goaltender Jake Allen from the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for a conditional third-round pick in 2025, the teams announced Friday.Montreal is retaining 50% of Allen's $3.85-million cap hit, knocking his price tag down to $1.9 million. He's under contract for one more season after this one.The pick can upgrade to a second-rounder if Allen plays 40 games in 2024-25 and if the team he plays for qualifies for the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs.The 33-year-old veteran owns an .892 save percentage and 3.65 goals against average to go along with a 6-12-3 record this season for the rebuilding Canadiens.Montreal has been carrying three goalies all season long - Allen, Sam Montembeault, and Cayden Primeau.Allen spoke about joining the Devils during an appearance on TSN."I've known New Jersey has had interest for a while," he said, according to Eyewitness News' Rob Taub. "To make this happen today, I'm really looking forward to the new opportunity and fresh start - to get back into the net and try to get a rhythm again."Goaltending has been the Devils' biggest weakness this campaign. They rank 30th in the league with a team save percentage of .901 at five-on-five, per Natural Stat Trick.None of the three netminders New Jersey has relied on this season - Vitek Vanecek, Akira Schmid, and Nico Daws - have a positive value in goals saved above expected or goals saved above average, according to Evolving-Hockey.Allen has registered a career .908 save percentage across 416 appearances. He won the Stanley Cup as a member of the St. Louis Blues in 2019.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Arizona Coyotes traded defenseman Matt Dumba and a 2025 seventh-round pick to the Tampa Bay Lightning for a 2027 fifth-round pick, reports The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun.Dumba is a pending unrestricted free agent with a $3.9-million cap hit, according to CapFriendly.The 29-year-old was in his first season with the Coyotes, who signed him as a free agent in August. Dumba spent the previous 10 campaigns with the Minnesota Wild after they drafted him seventh overall in 2012.The Lightning needed defensive help with Mikhail Sergachev out long term due to injury.Dumba hasn't produced offensively since erupting for 14 goals and 36 assists in 2017-18. He occupied a second-pairing role with the Coyotes and figures to crack Tampa's top four with Sergachev missing significant time.The Saskatchewan-born rearguard has averaged over 20 minutes of ice time in every season since 2016-17.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Columbus Blue Jackets traded defenseman Andrew Peeke to the Boston Bruins for blue-liner Jakub Zboril and a 2027 third-round pick, the teams announced Friday.Peeke fell out of favor with the Blue Jackets organization despite being in the first season of a three-year contract carrying a notable $2.75-million cap hit. He's played just 23 games this season, averaging 15:37 per contest. The 25-year-old played 80-plus games and averaged over 21 minutes in each of the previous two campaigns.At 6-foot-3 and 210 pounds, Peeke brings plenty of size and has posted 180-plus hits in each of the last two seasons. Peeke put up strong defensive metrics in 2021-22 but has declined since. The Parkland, Florida, native also provides virtually no offense.

The Minnesota Wild traded forward Pat Maroon to the Boston Bruins for AHL forward Luke Toporowski and a conditional 2026 sixth-round pick, Maroon's former club announced.Maroon underwent back surgery in early February but has recently resumed skating.He's a pending unrestricted free agent whose cap hit is $800,000, according to CapFriendly. Maroon had a 16-team trade list.The veteran, who'll turn 36 on April 24, won the Stanley Cup in three straight seasons. He helped his hometown St. Louis Blues win it all in 2019 and was then part of the Tampa Bay Lightning's back-to-back championship squads in the two subsequent campaigns.Maroon was playing his first season with the Wild, who acquired him in a trade with the Lightning last July.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.